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Summer help—to hire or not to hire

Working summer jobs at Barnes MetalCrafters, Maxwell Noonan, left, and Anthony Moleta are learning about metal fabricating and adding value to the shop.

Summertime affects how work is done in several ways. Being hot usually is the first thing that comes to mind. For my dad and me, not having to worry about stopping for a dozen school buses on our hour-and-a-half commute is a bonus.

Schools not being in session also leads to high school and college kids looking for short-term employment. This can be a huge help to any manufacturing business that can take advantage of the opportunity.

This summer my nephew, Anthony Moleta, and our former high school intern Maxwell Noonan joined us. Anthony is getting ready for his first year at Appalachian State University, and Maxwell is moving up to a sophomore at North Carolina State University. Both approached us well before school was out, looking for work. This was fine with us, because it is always nice to have a helping hand.

I think it is very important to expose the younger generation to the manufacturing world, and not many kids have the opportunity to work in a setting like Barnes MetalCrafters. Working in a small shop like ours can be fun, and the work doesn’t get too monotonous.

Anthony has spent most of this summer working in the shop lending a helping hand wherever he was needed. He has spent a lot of time on the press brake, assisting Nick Trueheart and picking up knowledge without even knowing it. I occasionally ask him if he is learning anything, and he smiles and says yes.

Explaining to him exactly what he is making usually gets a spark out of him. It’s important to know what you are doing and why you are doing it. Standing there pushing a button or stomping a pedal can seem pointless if you aren’t working toward an end product.

Anthony also has spent a lot of time on the saw and loading production parts on the welding robot. These may seem like simple tasks, but they really take quite a work load off of the full-time employees.

Interacting with the guys in the shop probably is pretty entertaining to him. I see him smirking and can only imagine what types of “shop talk” he is being exposed to. When he isn’t busy, he grabs a broom and displays a sweeping technique that would make Mr. Miyagi proud.

The long days wear Anthony out; he normally is catching skittles (aka sleeping) in the backseat within five minutes of our long commute home.

Maxwell, our former intern, lives pretty close to the shop and has the opportunity to spend more time in the office. I interact with him consistently on a daily basis, and he has proven to be a huge help pushing work from the office to the guys in the shop.

Rebar cage made with Anthony Moleta's assistance.

At the beginning of the summer, my dad and I would discuss which jobs we wanted Maxwell to work on. Often these were the easier jobs that I really didn’t need to be doing. Having him assume responsibility for these tasks was a huge weight off my shoulders, and I could focus on more difficult projects.

As Maxwell’s skills have increased, we have given him bigger jobs. He has begun putting together spreadsheets and organizing work to make larger jobs flow through the shop, which is a great help. We also have him working on side projects that were always on the back burners. It is nice to see these projects launch and gain momentum.

Maxwell began asking questions an experienced sheet metal worker or designer would ask, questions he could not have asked early on in his time with us.

It’s kind of funny when you expose people to problems and situations in the shop. Those who can learn and apply the knowledge gained are the ones who will succeed in life.

It is nice to see Maxwell notice problems ahead of cutting and making parts. This ability helps make the job easier on the next guy down the line.

For the most part, our summer help is only beginning to poke their heads out of their shells. They have really changed the atmosphere and look of our shop, and I would recommend taking on summer help. You may be worried about keeping them busy, but it will work out, and your business will be better because of it.

Both Anthony and Maxwell have picked up steam as the summer has rolled on. Watching them recognize situations in the shop and know where they are needed has taken some time to learn, but we have come to rely on their help.

I recently asked Maxwell what he likes about working this summer, and he said he likes seeing projects develop from scratch and turn into something. He now knows there may be several changes down the line and to prepare to make revisions.

Anthony has learned the value of hard work, and that it’s not always about finishing the job, it’s about doing the job right.

Our summer help neophytes of college and metal fabrication are venturing off as better men.

All images courtesy of Barnes MetalCrafters.

About the Author
Barnes MetalCrafters

Nick Martin

2121 Industrial Park Drive SE

Wilson, NC, 27893

252-291-0925